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Welcome to the oldest Masonic body in Chicago constituted 2 July 1844; chartered 10 September 1844
Capitular Freemasonry provides an opportunity for Master Masons desirous of further light to explore some of the deeper mysteries of the craft. The four capitular degrees, in which candidates take an active part, are truly among the most profound and impressive in all of Freemasonry. Click here for a combined petition for degrees. General Grand Chapter life memberships Help the chapter by reducing our per capita fees. A mere US$25.00 buys you a sustaining life membership in the General Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons International, and permanently absolves the chapter of paying per capita charges for you, no matter how much the rates may increase. Act now, as the General Grand Chapter is soon raising their rates significantly. Click here for the form. Please send a scan or photo of your life member certificate to our Secretary so that we can save the per capita cost. New companions exalted in old ritual We are the only chapter who confer the capitular degrees according to Illinois' elaborate Blackhawk ritual from 1914. This beautiful and informative ritual was superseded by the shorter 1972 work but remains authorised. The Principal Sojourners monologue in the first section of the Holy Royal Arch degree is the longest piece of ritual in the entire Illinois Masonic canon, and represents a significant investment of effort to perform. It is a long and very meaningful journey from Babylon to Jerusalem, and an incredible thing to witness. Our mark token was unveiled in 2009. Measuring 40.6 mm (1.6") in diameter and 3.0 mm (0.12") in thickness, this large token is 31.1 g (1 Troy ounce) of 99.9% pure silver, available in brilliant uncirculated grade. The token was minted with a 300-ton hydraulic press, and its edge is finished in 180 reeds at 2°. Please click here to read more. Click here to see our historic pennies and mark tokens.
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Our trestle board The following events are scheduled through the 2025-2026 capitular year: 16 June 2026: Stated convocation. 17 July 2026 (Friday): Annual convocation of the Grand Royal Arch Chapter of Illinois, at the Abraham Lincoln Hotel, located at 710 East Adams Street, in Springfield. Conferral of the Order of High Priesthood. 18 August 2026: Stated convocation. 15 September 2026: Stated convocation. Conferral of the degree of Mark Master (4°). 20 October 2026: Stated convocation. Conferral of the degrees of Past Master [Virtual] and Most Excellent Master (5° & 6°). 17 November 2026: Stated convocation. Conferral of the supreme degree of Holy Royal Arch Mason (7°). 15 December 2026: Stated convocation. 19 January 2027: Stated convocation. 16 February 2027: Stated convocation. 16 March 2027: Stated convocation. 20 April 2027: Stated convocation. 18 May 2027: Annual convocation, election & installation of officers. 15 June 2027: Stated convocation. Historic bulletins discovered A bound tome of the La Fayette Bulletin from 1917 to 1929 was recently discovered in the library of the House of the Temple in Washington, D.C. Thanks to our historian, Paul A. Scheeler, PHP, you can now click here to view .PDFs, and learn more of what our brethren were doing nearly a century ago. Convocation schedule & location La Fayette Chapters stated convocations are held on the third Tuesday evening of each month. Unless otherwise stated, dinner begins at or about 6:30 p.m., and the convocation opens an hour later. The stated and regular special convocations are conducted at: 5418 West Gale Street, Chicago Our temple is easily accessible from the Kennedy Expressway (I-90), Milwaukee Avenue, the CTAs Blue Line, and Metras Union Pacific Northwest Line. Post mail to: PO BOX 7123 CHICAGO IL 60680-7123 Send email to our Recorder, Companion Patrick B. Jones, PHP.
Pay your dues or fees online Click here to make a secure payment via PayPal at no additional cost.
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This site was last updated 05/22/26